Bleach Unlimited
by omegaV
Summary: Meet the american Shinigamis, far away from their Japanese counterparts. Attacked from the outside as well as from the inside, they will realize that even them should fear the Hollows. No miracles. No certitudes. No limits. Coarse language galore.
1. The Soul Fortress

Hello, and welcome to Bleach Unlimited. It's a fanfiction since it's entirely based on the Bleach universe. However, **no characters from the manga are present.** Maybe later, as a crossover, but not in the story itself.

Bleach is a mainstream yet charming story that can, in my opinion, be improved alot by throwing away mercantile considerations, such as "Good guys shall always triumph". As a direct consequence, while reading this story, you should be prepared to see some characters you like die, or worse.

Also, yes, the characters are overpowered compared to Bleach. It's not meant to downsize in any way the characters of Tite Kubo. I swear ! It's a dramatization thing.

Plenty of violence, non-explicit mature themes, coarse language, and morally twisted ideas.

Disclaimers : I don't own Bleach, and English is not my native language, so don't be surprised if you find really stupid mistakes.

* * *

Chapter One – The Soul Fortress

_Jake Johannsen, 10__th__ division Lieutenant_

Today, the Commander had summoned the Captains.  
That means I had to go and follow my boss into the imperial tower, and wait outside the great conference room like a watchdog.  
I hated that.  
Not only because of the watchdog thing.  
But because in occasions like this, Captain Hunter goes even lamer than usual.  
That means a lot.

_Hey Jakie, get dressed already, we're gonna be late.

_Tcht. Okay, captain.

I grabbed the smart-ass that served as a poor excuse for my soulcutter, and went outside. Hunter was here, waiting.  
Godfuckingdammit.  
Every time I see her, I hope she doesn't open her mouth ever again. Her personality is a real insult to her badassery.  
I looked at her flashy green hair, her manly tattoos, and her cool outfit, but even this could not brighten me up.

_Come oooon, don't make such a long face, said she in an air-headed manner.

_Shaddup, Captain.

_You're boring.

_Not as much as you.

I went ahead. Don't get me wrong, my captain is truly worthy of her rank. Both her Presence, her martial skill and the power of her soulcutter are astonishing. But. She was. Goddamned. Stupid.  
At least, in public, she holds a serious face. It gives a good image of our division. In fact, that's what tricked me into training hard to become her Lieutenant. If only I had knew...

On our way to the tower, we met another Captain-Lieutenant couple. And, oh boy, it was the 3rd division couple. Captain goodie-nicey Edward Parker and Lieutenant Kelly Hartigan, pure hatred standing on two legs.  
Some say they were our images in a mirror. Pretty accurate. All four of us were aware of that, and became friends.  
Sorta.  
Because the 3rd division are the champion duelists, and they are all very dangerous people. With only a handful of exceptions, none of which being into the head duo.

_Hey Sarah, how are you doing in this fine day ? Chanted the unbearable 3rd division captain.

_I'm fine, thanks.

Were we in private quarters, she would have answered with the same idiotic joy. But she was really thorough in her disguise in public places. Hence her solemn answer.  
Parker knew it, and proceeded with the pleasant conversation as they went ahead of us Lieutenants.

At the corner of a street, some young Reaper in a hurry bumped into Kelly.  
He realized how deep in the shit he was very quickly. My colleague had a big reputation.

_I'm sorry, Lady Lieutenant, I didn't see you, please forgive me !

_No.

She caught the arm of the youngster, before breaking it in a quick and precise move.  
The poor guy burst in tears of pain as she resumed to walk.

_I really wish you could stop that, Kelly, said Parker in a concerned voice.

_Good for ye, Captain.

Yeah, that's just how charming she is. And these kind of scenes happened very often, for all sorts of meaningless reasons. Sometimes, she didn't even need any, and just hit some random guy passing by.

_At least I didn't have plans for today, said Hartigan, referring to the Captain meeting.

_Bullshit, you always have. Or are you telling me you already killed your mandatory 9 beings of the day ?

_Yes. Plus two more.

_Well, I guess there is plenty of things to kill these days.

We began to ascend the staircase around the tower. Slowly, the big walls surrounding the Soul Fortress lowered, and showed what was, normally, the Field of Souls.  
But instead of calm, civilized ghosts, stood the unending army of Hollows, from the most insignificant to the most fearsome Vasto Lorde. They were besieging our sacred place for two weeks now.

_Yeah, said Kelly. Plenty, and then some.

* * *

_Elisabeth d'Arsenault, 6__th__ Division Captain_

The two lasts captains entered the room. They were right in time, as expected from Parker. Hunter left probably to meet him, otherwise she would have been late, as usual.  
The powerful voice of the Commander spoke up right after all captains were seated.

_My fellow captains. I, John King, Captain of the 1st Division, hereby declare the state of emergency.

John, my husband, with a body of a well-built 50-year old man, was in his habitual outfit, a modern business suit, black for the color of the Reapers, and white on the back for him being a Captain. His beard was well cut, and he was as noble as usual.

_No shit ? Commented Fury, the hot-headed one. You're almost fifteen days late, old man !

_I didn't gather you here to cry over a little bunch of lost souls, answered John, untroubled. This minor trouble will be addressed to in due time.

If he hadn't warn me this morning, I would probably have been just as stunned as the eleven other captains. We all knew the sheer power of our Commander, but wouldn't have thought it would prevent him from considering such a siege, in which hundreds of Reapers fell every day, as a troublesome issue.

_The affair that gathers us together this morning is a far more troubling one. I have received trustworthy intelligence that led me to think...No. Know that there are traitors among our ranks.

_What ?

The all-around gentle Captain Parker jumped on his feet upon hearing this.

_Tell me who they are and I shall erase them at once ! Shouted he in the enraged voice he spoke with so rarely.

_Calm down, Edward. I don't know who they are, but I do hope you, as well as everyone in this room, will do your best to find them.

_Of course, Commander ! Answered Parker. But at least tell us at which level of the Reapers these fiends are now !

_They are among us right now, as well as among our Lieutenants. You can now see why I consider this far more concerning than a bunch of young lost souls who don't know who they're dealing with.

_Far less fun, too, said Fury.

_However, in order to ease the population's terror, four of you shall send your Lieutenants deal with the Hollows for the day.

_Lieutenants. They always get the fun.

This time, it was not Fury, but the Captain of the 11th division, our resident mad scientist, Margaret Carradine.

_It's their job, stated Parker, who had regained composure. Kelly will go, she's more easy to live with when she's been satisfied.

_My Lieutenant shall go too, said Hunter. Same reason.

_Very well, said King. I'll let the others think about can now leave. All your suspicions are to be reported to me without delay. Good day.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen, 10__th__ division Lieutenant_

_You say that, but what you really want is to get some time alone with your dear Parker.

_Maybe, Jakie, but that's an order. Go now, give them Hollows a good whoopin !

I sighed. I didn't really like fighting all that much. Kelly, on the other hand, was already on her way. I followed her. At least I was making myself useful.

_Is that a joke ? Said the moth-shaped Adjucha leading the Hollow squad. Two of you ?

_Order of the King. Four Lieutenants. The other two are guarding the eastern gate.

_Well, little Reaper, as of now we still haven't encountered any real opponents among you. And I heard Lieutenants are squat compared to us Adjuchas. You should...

_Your informant must be mexican, said I. Here in America, we Lieutenants are almost on a Vasto Lorde level. The best Reapers of occident were gathered here two centuries ago to deal with the explosion of the Hollow population.

_No shit ? Then prove it !

_Okay...Kelly, mind if I take this fucker ?

_Yeah, he's not enough to be considered a quality target, I'll go for quantity.

The Adjucha was obviously annoyed, and skeptical. Well, it's true that we don't show our strength often.  
I called my good-for-nothing Soulcutter.

_Squash them, Starlight Mirror.

From its basic form of a double-edged short sword, my weapon grew into his Released shape. In front of me, the sentient hollows began to laugh.

_What's that, a tennis racket ?

Okay, they pissed me off.  
I used one of my specialties, the sword attack while still in flashstep.  
I appeared behind the Hollow leader, as four of his servants fell.

_And before you ask, that's not a capacity of Starly. He's shit. But I'm stronger when I'm angry, so I keep using him.

_What the hell ? Shouted the monster. That's supposed to be impossible !

_In America, we do whatever the fuck we want.

Kelly had already gotten down to business, crushing Hollows effortlessly.  
King was right. For now, the siege wasn't a threat to us ranked Reapers.  
I just wondered about this weird story of traitors.

Bah, for now, I'll just purify some monsters.


	2. Seeds of doubt

Second chapter. The important events are yet to come.

Disclaimers : I don't own Bleach, and English is not my native language, so don't be surprised if you find really stupid mistakes.

* * *

Chapter Two – Seeds of doubt

_Richard Hamilton, 1__st__ division Lieutenant_

I was sent by the old monarch, by oh-so-esteemed boss. He thought it would be a good move to reaffirm what being in the First Division meant.  
My colleague from the 11th division was making a good job of purifying Hollows. Me, I just stood there. All I wanted was to have a refreshment after going through the pain of making sure all eleven of the lunatics would come.  
Being the Lieutenant of the big boss can be so dull sometimes.

_Hey now, said I to the Hollow lying in wait for my attack. How about a Bloody Mary in exchange for going back to your war camp ?

_Are you kidding me ? I feast on souls !

_Herm, but Vodka kind of tastes like souls ! Russian ones, I guess. Or was it chicken ?

Ah, I was making fun of him. I'm rude when I'm sober.

_Okay, just watch. No need to growl like that, I'm not going to bite...

I drew my sword, and compressed my Presence into a shooter glass. A trick useless for battle, but I find it very useful nonetheless.

_Refresh us, Peerless Bartender !

The pommel of my Soulcutter opened, pouring a red, thick liquid. A perfectly mixed and spiced Bloody Mary for you. I was quite popular among young Reapers for that power, and I often stayed out late because of my part-time job as a bartender.

Of course, the cocktail wasn't made for a shooter glass, but I figured the Hollow would prefer to try a little dose at first.

_A Bloody Mary, enjo...

Now I had done it. The Hollow felt provoked, and jumped on me.  
He was not even a Menos. What were these guys thinking, really ?  
But this event was not the most heartrending, for a Reaper jumped from the wall behind me, Soulcutter drawn, directly falling onto the unfortunate lost soul's head.  
His outfit, a human modern one used for sportive events, was black, of course, but also decorated with pure white in his shirt's back.  
In short, he was a captain. And not the easiest to handle.

_Chris, I was just about to let this gentleman try a sip of a classical cocktail.

_You're incredibly overzealous as a barman, Rick, ya know that ?

_Yeah, yeah, maybe.

Chris Fury, 4th division Captain. Our best warrior. His scars were here to attest it. And his presence here couldn't have anything but one meaning.

_I believe Captain King did not order you to go fight the Hollows.

_And so what ? Look Rick, look ! In front of us, there is fun ! Countless little balls of fun ! They're calling for me ! Sorry, but you'll have to tell the big boss that I have to indulge myself today.

_Well, there's no helping it.

No, there wasn't. Once Fury is launched, it's over. I felt pity for the Hollows. Being purified in such an...industrial way was seriously lacking in the class department.

_There is no shield, no armor, no shelter, that can save you from my blade ! Dream Destroyer !

I did not watch Fury's Soulcutter shapeshifting. After all, that was a common event. Also, the outcome of the battle was not even worth wondering about.

* * *

At the end of the day, I invited the other Lieutenants chosen to fight the Hollows to come to my place for a drink.  
Not Fury, he's bad with alcohol.

_Keep the booze coming, Rickie boy ! I have to celebrate this day knee deep in Hollows and far away from this stupid Captain !

It was unclear who between Jake and Kelly said that. Maybe both. None of them were ever interested in cocktails, straight distilled alcohol having their preference.

So I talked with Duncan Holley, 11th division Lieutenant. A scientist specialized in the live dissection of Hollows. Quite barbaric, but I guess it's inevitable when you're in this kind of division. _We do Science, don't come annoy us with ethics_, was more or less their motto.  
Aside from his job, Duncan was a perfectly nice fellow, very fond of the Old Fashioned cocktail.

_Ah, and to say that tomorrow, I'll have to follow my Captain at her great conference, said he in despair. I already see the mess it will be. She can't stand young Reapers, she finds them stupid.

_It's necessary, said I. We must teach newbies as fast and as broadly as we can in order to avoid stupid mistakes on the battlefield. The 2nd division is overflowing with injured Reapers...

_Yeah, and I was told captain Miller was hard at work retrieving the ones incapped in the middle of the Hollows.

_He's doing fine, don't worry. When it comes to saving the day, there's no one like him.

_Yeah, I know that, it's just that it must be tiresome to patrol the fields every day.

He stopped talking for a while and drank. Then, he said, in a more quiet voice.

_Hey, so what do you think about this...traitor thing ? I mean, Do you really think that's possible ?

_It does seem very paranoid of him, said I seriously. But the monarch is not one to let anything overshadow his reason. So I would say it's real. There are traitors among us. What they want, I don't know.

We looked at the two bad-mooded officers in the other side of the room. Duncan asked :

_You think they are...

_I think we don't have to suspect anyone without solid reasons. We are still allied against Hollows.

_Yeah, yeah, you're right. Things will get ugly if we begin to doubt everyone.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen_

Kelly was boasting about her results of the day, talking about hundreds of "kills". While we reapers don't technically kill Hollows, this Irish female Reaper never had any other word for the purification. I always found that kind of nasty.  
But nevertheless, I was her friend. I didn't care if it was good or bad, it was the way things were.

Frankly, she wasn't half bad. Not a real beauty, but definitely beyond just plain. Her messy black hair was cut to her ear at the left of her head, and reached the middle of her neck at the right. Her black clothes were a baggy and a sleeveless vest with a zipper. Kind of like a "skater girl" or whatever the living called these.

So why was she hated by most of the Soul Society ? Well, because as I said earlier, she's pure hatred. Towards almost everything. Never happy, never satisfied. She's a damn good fighter, but a very bad person to talk to, unless you are equally twisted as her.  
That included Captain Fury and me. Because Fury is a total nutjob as aggressive as her, and I, well, I was in a perpetual state of butthurtness. My Soulcutter made fun of me, My captain was a stupid and clumsy woman despite her outer shell of a Great Herald of Badassery.

_So hey, asked Hartigan after gulping another glass of liquor. Yer always whining about yer captain. Is she at least suited for the job ?

Funny, in the 20 years we've been colleagues, Kelly was never interested in my life.

_Oh yeah she is. She showed all her strength to me, hoping that it would calm me down. Well, it did, but not for long.

_And so ?

_Well it's awesome, of course. Maybe not as badass as the mad scientist's Soulcutter, but definitely not as gay as Miller's.

_C'mere, Miller is the Captain of the Support & Healing squad, bein' gay is in their very nature.

_Sure. Anyway, her Soulcutter is called Orbital Eden.

_Pretty flashy, admitted Kelly.

_Isn't it ? You know our Division is specialized in powers that don't require us to move, well suited for defense and cover. Well, Orbital Eden plays with gravity on a large scale. Hunter can make an area into her non-euclidean playing zone. Only her knows how to fight in this mess.

_Neat.

_Depends. I threw up in the demonstration. In short, I have no hope of taking her place as of now. And for you, how is it doing ?

_Captain Parker is a pain. Either he is calm and unbearably happy-go-lucky, or he is pissed off and nobody wants to be anywhere near him. The only middle ground being when he's asleep.

I told you the 3rd Division were dangerous people. The second you come to think they're okay people, they go lunatic on your ass and hand it over straight to the 2nd Division, if not the Great Beyond.

Parker was the shining example of this rule. Whenever something is troubling the order of things, say, for example, a rookie defeating a Lieutenant, he goes rabid. The bad news being the power of his Soulcutter, Crimson Cross.  
It can not only just beat you down, it can completely erase you from reality. And with his combat skills, he does it really easily. It was very rare someone actually goes down the drain because of that, but it always causes an uproar. The last time was 17 years ago, and the elders went batshit for a whole year. Parker spent his days apologizing.  
However, with this story of traitors, I don't think Crimson Cross will peacefully remain in his dormant state.

Finally, we slept overnight at Hamilton's, and went back to our quarters, only to find that the Captains had done exactly the same things we did.  
Well, plus one...

...It was going to be a shitty day.

* * *

You probably noticed that Kelly speaks a little funny. It's supposed to be an Irish accent, but I only spent a few weeks in this country, so I'm certainly not a specialist. It's only an attempt. You can also consider that her accent is far from pure. After all, she spent two centuries in America.


	3. The Unspoken Anguish

Here's the third chapter. It may state things that are not canon, but that's a necessary evil, as the scenario will be based on the said things.

Talking about the scenario, it's finally firing up in this chapter.

Disclaimers : I don't own Bleach, english is not my native language, etc.

* * *

Chapter Three – The Unspoken Anguish

_Duncan Holley, Lieutenant of the 11__th__ Division_

I was standing on the podium, in front of hundreds of young recruits, and some of the simple souls that were sheltered into the Fortress upon arrival of the Hollow army.  
Margaret, my Captain, was giving a lecture about the way a Hollow works. Some theoretical knowledge can be useful when the fighting instructors are overwhelmed with apprentices.

_So that's why it's generally useless to attack a Hollow first unless you go for the score. Ranged attacks are very rare overall, at least for the lesser ones, and you'll get yourself better odds of winning if you patiently wait for them to to strike, and counter with a deadly slash. Remember boys, we're in the defensive here, and the defender always plays with a full hand. Don't throw it away.

_But, Captain Carradine, we all saw the 4th Division captain going head first into the swarm of Hollows !

_Dear little rookie, the 4th Division Captain is an exceedingly thick individual, both in head and skin. He can do something that you don't. We don't need heroes right now, because we have plenty of them already. We need disciplined soldiers. Another stupid question ?

_Yeah, uh...said a girl in the crowd. It's unrelated, but...if we see a friend in the swarm out there, is it true that we can't save them ?

The head scientist of the Soul Society froze. I hit my forehead with my palm.

_How many freakin' times must we answer this shit ? Said Carradine in an irritated voice.

_Well, there are very different answers, so I thought I would get a scientific opinion.

_Yes. Yes. I can see why, but that doesn't change the fact that this issue should be common knowledge. All these snotty little bitches should stop whining about whether or not their Hollow friends can be saved. Very. Fucking. Well ! I'll answer this once and for all !

Boy, we were in for a wild lesson. Just like I told Hamilton last night.  
Carradine hastily drew some schematics on the white board.

_It should be pretty obvious, even for the most retarded of you, than all the "Boohoo can he return to his normal state" thing revolves around the distinction of the "Positive" Side and the "Hollow" side of the soul. Does, yes or no, the positive side disappear when the soul becomes a Hollow ? The short answer is, obviously, no, because when we purify them, they're reincarnated into positive souls in the Soul Society. But, yes, because there is a but, otherwise the issue wouldn't be so emo-friendly, the purification wipes the memory, among other things. Or else it wouldn't purify squat.

Of course, when Carradine was in this "you're all morons" state, she had still enough composure to never release her Soulcutter. Which is a heavenly good news, especially given the number of souls present.

_That means your loved one is at peace, but forever gone for you. And that makes the whining even more interesting, guys, because it becomes somewhat interesting, at least for inbred retards like you, that you Hollowed friend comes back to its normal state without the purifying process. So we're back at the platinum question, which you all probably forgot by now, you dimwits : Does the positive side disappear when the soul becomes a Hollow ? The long answer is no, because there is, structurally speaking, no difference between Positive and Hollow. They are one. Two sides of the same coin, completing each other. Nothing is truly one-sided, except the nothing. You can shrink one of the faces of a coin all you want, you can't make it disappear without making the whole coin disappear. Do you any of you idiots know what that means ? You have one second to answer.

_Erm...

_Time's up ! I knew it. It means that the Hollowed soul is still the same goddamn soul ! Only the body changes, not the spirit. Memories, desires, personality, all that remains. It's just that, after the disappearance of the Chain of Fate, the soul has shifted from "Day" to "Night". It's not a change in the nature, but in the function. That's why the purification process can exist in the first place ! While the soul's body is definitely transformed, the soul's soul...

Perplexed looks in the assistance.

_Don't tell me you don't know what THAT means ?

Silence.

_Sheesh. The soul is still what it was. If it really changed, then it would be impossible to purify it, it would be like trying to start a car when the engine isn't there anymore.

_Yeah, but then, asked the anonymous girl, why does the Hollow loses it's heart, and becomes more and more monstrous over time ?

_Ah, yes. The trick question. Okay, I admit, you followed what I said, so I guess you're just half retarded. Well it's kind of a magician trick. Would the same corruption process occur under normal circumstances, you would understand it right away. The trap here is to think "Oh my god, my friend is being corrupted by his inner demon !" Well, the harsh truth is : No.

Several gasps in the audience. I even saw Fury, who was strolling behind the large group, show an expression of surprise.

_That's a nice sweet blindfold you put on your eyes. The Hollow only corrupts itself. The natural process of Hollowification is to remain too much time as a lost spirit whose body is dead. What exactly is happening ? Hell, the poor guy is dead ! Don't you think it's natural for him to say, after one month or two, "Well, fuck your shit", and suddenly wish for everyone else to be dead ? Well, that's common sense if you ask me. The Hollow is, first and foremost, a pissed-off soul ! He's been abandoned ! He's alone, and maybe for eternity ! Of course they would give up moral values ! And as they begin to devour souls, they're just convincing themselves that the humans weren't worth it anyway, slowly smothering, all by themselves, what they were. It's the same thing that occurs when a criminal drifts away from society, only that in the Hollow case, people dump all the responsibility on the hole in the body.

_So, what does this hole really means, if not the loss of the human heart ?

_It means the loss of something, yes, but something far more tangible than the "heart". It's temperance. A human lives with it, because he's a social animal. Without temperance, they indulge their desires whenever they want. That's why a Hollow is constantly hungry. So yes, I guess that would be kind of a big deal in the case of you sweet-smiling your Hollow friend long enough to convince it that humans are worth something after all. That never occurs because you never have enough time, but it remains theoretically possible. That would make a Hollow that is nice, but unable to restrain himself from doing what they want. But that's not as monstrous as a basic Hollow, is it ?

As the crowd remained silent, Carradine calmed down and seemed interested.

_As a matter of fact, I'm sure this kind of repented Hollow could release its hunger against other Hollows. Useful. And there's the possibility they could become Meno...Aw no, forget that. But I'll do some research. Another non-stupid question now ?

* * *

_Christopher Fury, Captain of the 4__th__ Division_

Well, I admit I never really thought of that thing before, but I was sure surprised by the speech of the mad scientist. I mean, people generally think that Hollows are a lost cause.  
Lil' Kelly was watching the scene, three meters behind me.

_Hey, so you think it's true ? I asked her. It's the evilness that makes the Hollow and not the other way around ?

_Idiot, it's just like she said. It's common sense.

She walked away, her eyes filled with more anger than usual.  
Common sense ? Well, certainly not as far as I heard.

As I was going back to my house, There was a message from King to all the Captains and Lieutenants.

_This is very important. All of you must come to the conference room at once. A Hollow has been spotted at the 10th Division quarters. All evidence shows that this Hollow was the 6th seat of the aforementioned Division, Leonard Figetti. It's already out of the walls, so for now, we must talk about this matter.

End of the message.  
The siege, the traitors, and now this ? It's getting very interesting.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen_

_BULLSHIT ! Leo was a good Reaper, there's no way he could have become a Hollow willingly, you all know it can't happen anyway !

I was more pissed off than ever right now. One of my subordinates had turned into a Hollow, and now the robotic leader of the 9th was implying it could have been his own fault.

_Yeah, he's right, Z, affirmed Carradine. What I said to these newbies only applies on normal souls. We're talking about bodies here. No change of mind could transform a Reaper body into a Hollow body. Ever. It was artificial. And groundbreaking from a scientific standpoint.

_What about the reports about hybrids in some parts of the world ? Hollowed Reapers, Reapered Hollows...

The numerical voice was downright bone chilling. Speaking with the voice of a computer, entirely hidden under his black leather suit and metallic mask, Z was no doubt the most unnerving of all the Captains.

_All these reports show artificial causes, answered Carradine.

_My opinion, declared Parker, is that the traitors among us have in their dirty hands the means of changing a Reaper into a Hollow. Which makes this matter even more dire.

_I share your opinion, said King. Investigations will be made in the premises of the 10th Division. Hunter and Johannsen, you're out of suspicion for now, but I do hope you'll facilitate the work of the justice the best way you can.

_Huh...eh...Of course, c'mmander ! Answered my Captain miserably.

I pledged to give my full cooperation as well. I told you it was going to be a shitty day.


	4. Glimpses

Fourth chapter. When it becomes obvious that the American Captains are overpowered.

* * *

Chapter Four – Glimpses

_Jake Johannsen_

The 8th division was all over the place.

Every soul who saw Figetti up to one week prior to the incident was thoroughly interrogated. I especially hated being probed by this latino's Soulcutter. When you have the power to see through the lies, becoming Lieutenant of the Justice Division was a piece of cake.  
Of course, I had nothing to hide. It would just have been nice if I hadn't had to tell about the Onion Outbreak.  
Which is completely unrelated to the case at hand.  
Don't even ask.

_Well, said the Captain of the 8th. Nothing seems to show that the incident was directly imputable to your Division.

Angela Schuler was a normal woman, at least when she was working. In her free time, she becomes as much as a nutjob as all the others. Thankfully, she's usually alone when in that state.

_Thank you Angie, It was kinda hard to remain cool with all these people !

_No problem, Sarah. I'll be leaving now. Just write me a report on Figetti, his powers and his usual behavior.

Schuler left her seat, and prepared to leave with her men. I finally dared to ask the difficult question.

_Captain Schuler, do you know who discovered Figetti when...it happened ?

_Of course. A member of the 2nd Division, Emily Gardner. Figetti's girlfriend. She was hurt in the event, but not affected by whatever happened.

_Thank you, Captain.

It was hard to say "Hollowification". The worst thing that could happen to a Reaper, something belonging only to the realm of nightmares, was happening. And we had to discover why as fast as possible.

_Captain Hunter, said I when the 8th had left. I'll go to the 2nd Division quarters. I know this Emily.

_Do what you want, Jakie.

* * *

_Western gates of the Soul Fortress_

The strange Captain of the 9th Division, Z, was looking at the legion of Hollows.  
Well, was probably looking, at least, because his eyes don't show up through his mask.

_You're sure you don't want us to go with you ? Asked the guards.

_I'll be fine, thank you.

The Captain jumped down the wall, alerting all the Hollows nearby. Seemingly unconcerned by this, Z just began to walk calmly.

_Get him ! Yelled the Adjucha overseeing the gate. Immediately, all the lesser Hollows obeyed the command and charged.

Without any change in his posture, Z just said :

_Flow, Mercurial Ghost.

The Release did not make any fireworks, and the Soulcutter, still at the waist of the leather-clad Captain, remained unchanged.  
The attacking Hollows did not think twice about it, and all attacked the Reaper together. Only to stumble miserably behind him, much like someone trying to walk on an imaginary step at the top of a staircase.  
Z, still walking, was unaffected. In fact, he did had been struck, but his body seemed to flow, slower and slower, like water going back to its calm state after a stone fell in it.

_What the...Growled the Adjucha.

The monster decided to take the matter into his own hands, and fired a powerful Cero at the annoying Reaper.  
The middle of his body was blown away by the powerful energy ray, but in the end, the result was the same. In a liquid-like motion, everything got back in place.

_How troublesome, said Z in his monotone voice. I'm just out there for a stroll. I don't mind being attacked, but maybe you would want to spare your energy.

_You're pissing me off, Reaper, you know that ?

_Yes, it's a common reaction around me.

The Adjucha attacked the Reaper again, but to no avail. Even the most powerful punishment was not affecting Z in the slightest.

_I told you, I don't mind being attacked. But I am inconvenienced by the ruckus you're making. Please stop.

_Oh yeah ? So why don't you make me stop, you Reaper freak ?

_You know, I'm not all that strong. But I still became a captain because my Release makes me in-vin-ci-ble.

_Stop joking around, nobody's invincible.

_If you say so. Prove me wrong, then.

The enraged shout of the Hollow covered the quiet, regular footsteps of the unbreakable Captain.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen_

The interview with Gardner had been instructive.

She told me she was just visiting Leo in his house, as she was passing by. He was perfectly fine, but a little busy with paperwork. He let her stay nonetheless.  
Emily waited outside his office while he finished his work. At some point, she heard him swear. Nothing out of the ordinary though, probably just a mistake he made. Several minutes later, he came out, invited her to the theater, and they went out.

As they were walking in the streets, Leo was still perfectly okay. It was at a crossroads that he suddenly acted as if he was in pain. He fell on his knees, threw up and, you guess it, became a Hollow on the spot. It didn't took very long, maybe 20 seconds. But at the end, he was larger, less human-like, and had a mask looking like a lion. Seems like he turned into an Adjucha.  
There was 5 people at these crossroads, including Emily. Leo went batshit and attacked four of them. Emily lost an arm, and the other two almost died, if it wasn't for a nearby patrol who attacked him right away. He flashstepped away and went past the walls in no time.

Well, flashstepped. Maybe I should use "sonido'ed" even if I don't know the difference. If there's one, anyway.  
Fuck it. Leo was a good friend, I met him on the way from Europe to America, when the local Reaper base was turned into the gigantic Soul Fortress. He was a strong, bold, yet friendly type of person.

I swear I'll kill whoever is responsible of this.

* * *

_The Field of Souls_

_Stop that, he's right, you can't even scratch him.

The Adjucha stopped his assault, Z stopped walking.

_Here you are, said the electronic voice.

The Hollow that had been Leonard Figetti was sitting on a stone, looking quietly at Z.  
He looked like a big feline humanoid, with a certain nobility. Most Hollows look feral, but it wasn't the case for him. A huge hole in the middle of his chest made his new nature clear.

_I figured they would send you. To you, being knee deep in Hollows doesn't mean shit.

_Actually I decided to come on my own accord. The others seem more interested in finding what happened to you. Would you mind telling me ? Of course I can't order you anymore...

_Damn right you can't. The closest of the head Reapers to be able to squeeze that info out of me is Johannsen, and even him hasn't the slightest chance.

_Pity. Talking about our Dane friend, he was quite passionate in defending your integrity as a Reaper.

_Whoop-dee-doo. He's no longer my friend. And maybe I was a good Reaper, but it's history.

_I wouldn't doubt about it. Actually, you look in pretty good shape. You must have a good standing among your new friends.

_Yeah, you could say that.

_Well, I'll be going back. I'll transmit your non-regards to your former Lieutenant.

_Good Riddance, Z. And tell him that the Onion Outbreak is already a popular story among Hollows. Isn't it guys ?

A wave of approbation rose among the swarm of monsters. Z was already walking back to the Soul Fortress.

As he was getting near, Z saw a wounded Reaper. 5th Division, according to his badge.

_Ah...Captain Z ! Thank god you're here...

The leather-clad Captain walked by, not paying any attention.

_Ca...Captain ! Pleaded the Reaper.

_You're not from my Division, and I'm not from the 2nd. Wait for them to come.

The wounded was about to insult Z, but refrained himself. Moments later, someone flashtepped between the two Reapers.

_Oh, hello David, said Z. We were talking about you.

The Captain of the 2nd Division was a handsome man with long black hair. Not a very original look, but still effective.

_You should be ashamed, Z ! In grim times like these, every Reaper should help his kind !

_Should, not must.

David Miller was furious, but he didn't have the time to argue. Delighted to have two captains in sight, a bunch of Hollows, followed by a Gillian, were charging.

_Ah, the hell with this ! Reveal yourself to hide, Nightfall's Dark Crescent !

His black rapier turned into a great, beautiful scythe. He flashtepped into the group of Hollows, and all took them down in a few strikes.  
The incapped Reaper shouted.

_Captain Miller ! Cero !

The Captain of the healers looked back. The Cero was almost ready. Unusually fast. He made another flashtep to the young reaper, and struck the air with his scythe. His Soulcutter had the power to quickly create portals to the intermediate dimension between the spirit and human worlds.  
By the time the Cero reached them, Miller and the 5th Division reaper were gone.

They reappeared on top of the walls.

_Thank you, captain Miller...

_No need. You will be transported to my Division now. But there's...

The long haired Reaper turned around to see the Menos Grande, but froze when he saw one of his colleagues right in front of him, facing the monstrosity.  
A Reaper with a black and white long coat, and a broad-brimmed hat.

_Thanks for saving one of my boys, David. I'll take it from here.

A hundred meters from the wall, the Gillian saw this newcomer, and set its eyes on him, rather than the annoying one calmly walking at its feet.  
The western-movie-styled Captain began an incantation.

_Kings of unspoken legends, tyrants of the great unknown, awaken now and look down on this world ! Scorn those who can't fathom your might with an endless yet fleeting hellish gaze ! Ninetieth Demon Art technique, Black Coffin !

The gigantic Hollow was, in a second, encased in a black rectangular box. There was a loud sound, and spikes appeared on all sides of the box. When it faded, the Menos Grande was already vanishing.

_That's Captain Maverick for you ! Said, proudly, the 5th Division member.

The said Captain smiled while adjusting his hat. A well-cut mustache decorated his forty-year-old face.

_Always a pleasure.

Then he left. Stunts like these were good for the troop's morale, as well as for his own enjoyment. Of course, the Black Coffin, a very high level spell still banished in most countries, was by far powerful enough to be lethal with an incantation bypass, but who needs walls if you can't take the time to chant the full spell ?

Still on his rock, the Hollowed Figetti smirked. You can't get more exciting opponents than the Reapers of the Soul Fortress.  
Too bad they were already doomed.


	5. Leonard Figetti

Fifth chapter. From now on, I'll update the story on a weekly basis, or more often if I'm inspired.

Feel free to review, suggest something, or harshly criticize this story. You got my mail in my public profile.

* * *

Chapter Five – Leonard Figetti

_Duncan Holley, 11__h__ Division Lieutenant_

I was overseeing the troops at the Western Gate. A necessary task, as young Reapers are often afraid of everything, and prone to mistakes. Between my Division quarters and those of the 10th Division, I saw a group of Reapers watching something in the Field.  
I went near them, and realized they watched the duel between a Reaper and an Adjucha. It didn't took me long to understand that the fighters were a 10th Division member, and Leonard Figetti, the Hollowification victim.  
It looked like the Reaper was slightly weaker, but could fight the monster pretty well nonetheless. I didn't interfere. A scientist should not care about revenge, honor and other futile things like that.  
I was only wondering if I could capture Figetti. Sure, he would be a magnificent test subject, but we didn't know yet what happened to him. We all had to be very careful.

I sighed, and looked at the landscape, completely filled with lost souls.  
Such a unnatural picture...Hollows couldn't normally gather at such a large scale. In all Soul Society's history, a siege of this level had never happened.

First, they should all be devouring each other. Or at least, be tempted to do so. But the only fights among the swarm were in very small areas, in very small periods of time. It was probably deliberate. Kind of like factories, where Hollows were forced to devour each other and turn into Menos Grande.  
Also, if you looked carefully, you could see a very precise disposition of Adjuchas and Vasto Lordes, in very strict patterns. The lesser Hollows were commanded by a masterfully organized network. One commander for about 50 Hollows and a Gillian.  
John King said the swarm was a insignificant problem.  
I sure hoped he was right.

I sensed a powerful Presence behind me. A colleague was heading this way. I looked. Expectedly, it was Johannsen. He looked angry, as usual. Surely he was informed of Figetti's whereabouts.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen_

Just as I was told, my seventh seat, Kyle Chandler, was fighting Figetti. They were best friends before the accident, almost at the same level of skill and power.  
But it seemed it wasn't the case anymore. Kyle was wounded. Nothing too serious, but it wasn't encouraging, as Figetti was still unscathed.

_Lieutenant Johannsen ! Please let me fight him, I have to do it !

I guess he knew that I wasn't disposed to accept his plea.

_No ! Please, Jake, it's my fight !

_Bollocks to that, you're going home.

I caught him, and threw him vertically into the air.

_Incoming ! Shouted I to Holley, who was quietly watching the scene.

As Chandler was falling down, I casted a basic spell.

_Demon art number three : Spirit Pulse !

A translucent shockwave blasted my 7th seat away just as he was about to hit the ground.  
Well, it's originally supposed to throw an opponent away to give you some time to breathe. But its use as a subordinate launcher was pretty effective.  
I wondered if Holley would even bother flashstepping to save Chandler. Fortunately, he did. Hunter always annoys me when the flying subordinates actually hit the hard ground.

I then faced Figetti.

_Ah, hello, Jakie boy, said he in a mocking voice. What do you want ?

_Why, I want to talk, of course. You can't imagine how much my heart is bleeding. Ah, I so truly wish you could be my friend again. Boohoo.

My words were not fooling anyone, as my voice was oozing with anger.

_Huh...You're feeling well ? Asked Figetti.

I unsheathed my Soulcutter.

_Come on Leo, let me hug the shit out of you.

_Oh. I get it. Z told you.

_He did. Say your prayers. Now.

So yeah, I'm usually a pretty angry guy, for shitty reasons most of the time. But spreading the knowledge about the Onion Outbreak among Hollows is a goddamned good reason for me to be pissed-off. Figetti was going to die, regardless of he being a Hollow or not. Coping with the transformation of a century-old friend into a heartless creature would come after that.  
He seemed quite disappointed of not being given the opportunity to tease me. I'm sure Hollows love to do that to their former friends. He knew I was going to fight him without any second thoughts, so he prepared himself for battle.

He clearly had the upper hand in his fight with Kyle. That probably meant he received some kind of boost during the Hollowification. Still, he was a 6th seat, and I was a Lieutenant. It would take hell of a boost to close the gap between him and I.

The only thing going for him is that he knew how I fight.  
Still, he looked confident.

Weird.

I had to be cautious, and go straight to the victory.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen, two weeks earlier, before the siege_

It was already evening, and I still had dozens of forms to fill.

Usually, I like the decision of the Soul Fortress to follow the trends of the living world. Hell, I was myself following humans all the way. For a 226 years old dude, I was pretty good at behaving like a human teenager.  
But why did they copy Bureaucracy ? Why ?  
Not only was it painfully boring, but this chore wasn't evenly divided between officers. For example, the pure warriors had only a small part, whereas Reapers of the more "civil" Divisions were crushed under the weight of all that paper. The tenth had an average quantity of paperwork, but it was still very annoying.  
Leonard Figetti kicked the door open.

_Hey, Jakie !

Compared to me, Leo was a wrestler. He caught me easily, and dragged me out of my office.

_Enough work, it's time to drink !

_Let go of me, Leo !

I didn't struggle too much. After all, if I really wanted to, I could escape from his grasp.  
But he was right. It was time to drink.

Our group of friends from the higher circles of the 10th Division gathered at Hamilton's bar that night. That is to say, me and the 3rd to 7th seats.  
We had our own table for us to drink and make all the fuss we wanted. Among us, Figetti was the most physical strength-oriented. That didn't make him a dimwit, far from it. Rather, he was the fatherly figure. He carried one of us on his shoulder, after a busy night at the bar, more often that not. Also, he was a counterweight to my bad mood. A good friend indeed.  
And a good man.

While we were singing, I saw Kelly, standing alone near a window. Her eyes were as full of hatred as always, and was looking away from Rick, even when asking for a refill. Why ? Because the bar tending Lieutenant was a purebred English man, and she was Irish. Need I say more ?  
Yes ?  
Well, during a long time period, the English were reigning over Ireland, and not really nicely. Even the infamous Bloody Sunday was just a tiny hiccups in the aftermath. Of course, it was history. But not to Kelly. Her mortal coil died during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, by English soldiers. She was not the only Reaper here in this case, but she was certainly the most begrudging of all.

Hamilton, happy to see that much Reapers in his bar, decided to treat us all to gin. English alcohol.

_Here's for all of you, with the best regards of the Queen !

When given the shooter glass by an employee, Kelly quickly threw it through the window.

_Like I would ever gargle the piss of that cursed oul' whore ! Yelled she in anger, before finishing her whiskey.

Rick was a very patient guy, and poured her another glass of Irish alcohol.

_Look Kelly, I'm sorry. Here you go.

She took the glass without complaint, even giving a word of thanks. The matter looked settled.  
But a newly affected Reaper did something really stupid.

_What's the matter with that farm girl ? Never went to school or...

He didn't say that very loud, but the three of us Lieutenants heard it.

_Steve, for God's sake man, shut up, said, afraid, the guy who was with him.

Too late. Hartigan put her glass down, and walked slowly towards the rookie.  
Everybody felt the murderous intent-filled Presence. The boy was in for it. I don't know who had been his drill instructor, but he failed at the basic task of warning the recruits to never, never piss Kelly Hartigan off.  
Leo quickly went between them, as the poor guy was just realizing what was happening.

_Fuck off, Figetti, I have someone to kill.

_Come on, answered he. He's new, he didn't know !

_I said FUCK OFF !

The Irish punched him hard in the guts. Leo uttered a painful groan. He was a real tank, but she was a Lieutenant.  
He regained compusure nonetheless.

_No. I won't let you lay a finger on him, said he. We're here to have fun, not to fight.

_Okay, yer choice.

Hartigan took her Soulcutter, a black dagger, in her hands. All I could think was "shit", as I jumped off my chair. Leo didn't move an inch.

_Shred 'em to ribbons !

Both Hamilton and I were on her before she could complete her Release.  
Everything went silent for a moment, then she swore and left. Hamilton sighed in relief.

_Lesson 1, said I to the young Reaper. This girl is more dangerous than the Hollows.

We all regained our places.  
Leo was quite badly hurt for a single punch, but he kept saying he was okay, it didn't mattered as long as the rookie was safe.  
He was ready to withstand the Release of an enraged Lieutenant for a guy he didn't know.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen, now._

He attacked first, and was doing pretty fast moves, but not enough to hit me. When it comes to being fast, I'm the Man.  
Unfortunately, I'm lacking in the brute force department, and my first few strikes against his skin were ineffective. He seemed satisfied with that, and attacked more fiercely.

Okay, he was tough.  
But toughness doesn't mean anything when Starlight Mirror, or rather his secondary use, is in the place.  
Just before flashstepping above him, I Released Starly. Then, I smashed his head with the round part of my Soulcutter, filled with a silver matter. As the name tells you, it's a mirror. Regular mirrors reflect light. But my mirror reflects anything. Energy rays, projectiles... Even a head. Solid, static objects simply appear at the side of their original position, to avoid overlaps.  
I guess the Hollow was surprised to see the world had suddenly got upside-down. Of course he knew my power, but he didn't know I could release it without a calling.

You could say reflecting his body parts wasn't really useful in itself, not as useful as reflecting a Cero for example. And I would agree with you.  
But it takes only a little imagination to know what happens when I pull Starly sideways while a solid thing, like a head, is being reflected up to the neck.  
That's right.  
Instant decapitation.  
Purification complete.

As I was walking back home, without a scratch, I met Holley.

_I'm surprised, said he. You Released without a verbal summoning. I believe you always said that you didn't reach the Unleashing yet ?

_And that's still the case. I'm able to Unleash my Soulcutter, as I can materialize its spirit. But I still don't know how. Not that I want to anyway. But, tell me, where's Kyle ?

_Yeah, about that...

Around us, I saw several Reapers in scientific outfits, as well as a few guards.

_Lieutenants Holley and Johannsen, please follow us. We have to run a few tests on you.

I was puzzled, to say the least.

_Hey, what the hell ? What's happening, Duncan ?

_Sorry, Jakob, answered the scientist. I purified your subordinate. He was about to become a Hollow too.

I gulped down my saliva, as I understood what was going on.

_And we could be infected.


	6. Counterattack

Sixth chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Six – Counterattack

_Jake Johannsen_

That was just perfect.  
My sixth and seventh seats, my friends, had become Hollows...  
And I was possibly next in line.

Holley and I were quarantined into a Presence-suppressing cage. A big cage, with accommodations in it, because we had to remain 24 hours, and our Hollowification was far from certain.  
But still.

_Hey, said I to Carradine, who was watching us behind the bars. Kyle turned into a Hollow into less than 20 minutes after confronting Figetti ! We should be cool by now !

_Not so fast, replied the mad scientist. There is a good chance that the amount of Presence increases the time needed for the transformation. It could make only a slight difference, or it could multiply the incubating period by ten or more. So you stay here.

_Yeah, whatever.

Holley had been given a Hollow mask's fragment to study. Scientists never rest. As a result, him and Carradine were constantly chatting about their research, giving me headaches.

One hour later, we were still perfectly fine. I heard footsteps in the corridor. I was hoping it was the jail keeper, coming here to free us.  
But it was Hartigan, singing some Irish folk song. And as usual, her voice was beautiful.

_Oh the screw was peeping and the lag was sleeping  
__As he lay there weeping for his poor gal_

_And the auld triangle went jingle jangle  
__All along the banks of the Royal Canal_

I knew this one. The Auld Triangle. It talks about a prisoner who is about to get hanged.  
How touching.  
I knew Kelly was enthusiastic about her country's songs, but not that she was sadistic.  
Yeah, I can be kinda slow sometimes.

_Howya ! Said the Irish lieutenant when she reached our cell. Came here as soon as I heard that they've lagged ye.

I frowned.

_Oh, hello Kelly. Please tell me you're not here to kill us as soon as we become Hollows.

_Nay, nay. Well, maybe. But I don't think either of ye could be as weak as the other two.

_"The other two" were my friends !

_Yeah, sorry.

Honestly, I don't know why Kelly had come here. Compassion was not a strong point of hers. But then again, I don't know her that much.  
She said to Duncan :

_So, what happened exactly to the lad you killed ?

_Purified, rectified Holley, still looking at the mask. Well, it was not like a classical Positive-to-Hollow transformation. His body didn't disappear. Rather, he spout large quantities of the liquid masks are made of. It covered his entire body, and I cut his head off immediately afterwards. The strange thing is, no Hollow hole was here yet. Before it happened, he said he was not feeling well at all.

_How long before the event ? Asked I.

_Only one or two minutes. I think it's safe to assume that this feeling is a accurate precursor sign.

_Everyone seems to believe it's contagious. But the Reapers Figetti injured during his escape were perfectly fine. I asked one of the eyewitnesses.

_The Healers arrived there in no time. Maybe the "disease" is destroyed when the body is healed quickly enough.

_That would make sense, I replied. Chandler was in the middle of a fight, so nobody healed him. Also, I defeated Leo before he could even touch me, so I wasn't infected.

_Why this gobshite fought ye ? Asked Hartigan out of the blue. I mean, he's yer mucker. He knew he was bound to lose. And I don't think he wanted ye to kill him. Hollows are proud.

_Yeah, you're right. It was strange, actually. He seemed confident, even if his strength was still far below mine. Maybe his goal was to infect me, even if it costed him his life.

Duncan pondered my words.

_Well, it's entirely possible.

He drew something on a sheet of paper, and showed it to Hartigan and me. It looked like a soccer ball, round with shapes in it.

_Whazzat ? Asked Kelly.

_An estimation of the Hollow army's structure. Look. The little dots are the Menos Grande. They are evenly distributed all over the swarm. I think you already know that lesser Hollows instinctively obey these evolved monsters. Well. The network of Adjuchas and Vasto Lordes leave little to no empty spaces where the Hollows are left without a "commander."

_Well, I suspected as much, said I. I knew the Menos were there to keep the troops in line. But still, I didn't think they would pull off such an organization.

An idea suddenly hit me.

_And what if they know about the Hollowification thing ?

_That, Jake, is exactly what I'm wondering. There are four possibilities. One : they don't know about the disease, and what they are doing is unrelated to it. That would mean the disease is some kind of accident. Two : They don't know, or don't care, but something is giving them orders in order to spread the disease. It could mean the "traitors" are manipulating Hollows to achieve an unknown goal. Three : They know about it, but are as surprised as we are. The most likely scenario. And four : They know about it, and are currently planning to spread it with whatever means necessary.

_A scary scenario. I admitted.

_Indeed. That would mean they came here to turn all of us into Hollows. And if that's the case, we must do something about it. Now.

* * *

_Elisabeth d'Arsenault, 6__th__ Division's Captain_

At the beginning of the evening, the quarantined were released. Nothing suspicious came to light, and Carradine deemed them unaffected.  
I was reading a good book when they came to the Imperial Tower. Hartigan was with them.  
When they entered the living room, the three Lieutenants did a military salute. I wasn't into this kind of thing, but it does constitute a good way to show respect to superiors.

_Good day, Captain d'Arsenault ! Said Holley. Is Commander King here ?

_No, he's in the underground levels. Why, do you have complaints about this afternoon ?

_No, Captain. We just wanted to talk about a theory of ours. Concerning the Hollows and the recent transformation events.

_You can tell me.

The scientist proceeded to tell me what they thought about while they were imprisoned.

_And what exactly do you propose, supposing that the Hollows are here to spread this "disease" ?

_Simple, told Johannsen in his habitual bold tone. We send powerful officers into the swarm, we kill the Menos, breaking the network and letting the Hollows devour themselves. Then, we just charge and send them all to La-la-land.

_No we can't, Lieutenant Johannsen. I replied. That would put the said "powerful officers" at a huge risk. They could become Hollows before they come back. This plan is impossible without a way to ensure that contamination is prevented.

_I...guess you're right. But it could still work if we just kill the Menos near the gates, wouldn't it ?

I thought about this, while looking at the Dane. A typical Scandinavian man, with short, fair hair and blue eyes. I didn't like his attitude, though. I gave my answer.

_Under strict supervision of the 2nd Division's officers, yes. If you volunteer for this task, go ask them for their support.

_We'll do, Captain !

_Richard Hamilton, 1__st__ Division's Lieutenant._

I was out for a stroll in the evening, when I saw the lieutenants of the 3rd, 10th and 11th Division walking towards the Eastern Gate.  
It was pretty common to see Hartigan and Johannsen together. They knew each other for a very long time, and were often together since the Irish's nomination as the 3rd Division's Lieutenant. But Holley was a rather lonely type.

_Greetings, said I, avoiding Hartigan's eyes. Might I inquire where you're headed to ?

_The Fields of Souls, why ?

_Oh, nothing, nothing...

_We're going to put some Hollows at peace, said Holley.

_Oh. You do know a Vasto Lorde is currently facing the Eastern Gate, right ?

Judging by their reaction, I guess they didn't.

_We know his battle prowess ? They asked.

_No, we ordered all troops to go back inside the walls. He's just waiting, silently. But if you want my opinion, I don't think it's a very powerful Hollow Lord. The three of you could take him down.

_We don't want yer opinion, answered Kelly angrily, but yeah, we'll kill him.

They left me, apparently quite resolved to fight the monster.  
I thought about the situation, then I decided to follow them, just in case they would screw up.  
Then, after seeing them going into the 2nd Division's quarters are going out in company of Lieutenant Sheena Quayle, I figured they wouldn't need me anyway.  
"Blast it", thought I. There's nothing like drinking a Martini while watching an epic battle under the sunset.


	7. The Fields of Athenry I

Chapter 7, when things finally begin to get serious. Also, a little reference to Bleach's main story.

* * *

Chapter seven : The Fields of Athenry

part one

_Jake Johannsen_

Vasto Lordes never cease to amaze me.  
Human figures, with an insane standing and nobility. They truly are Lords among the feral Hollows.  
Facing one of them was never an easy task. And knowing that we could become Hollows for an unknown reason sure didn't make things easier.  
This one wasn't very intimidating in shape, having a smooth silhouette, without animal traits. But still, he had to be powerful.

We were there, Holley, Hartigan and I, standing in front of the walls, and Quayle on the top of them, ready to support us. An African-American woman, as gentle as she was beautiful. Quite possibly the best chick among the high-ranked Reapers.  
Anyway, the most peculiar thing about this is that the Vasto wasn't here to command the Hollows. A big Adjucha was already here, far away behind him. And, of course, a shitload of normal Hollows were here, drooling at the idea to eat our souls. To them, we're kind of a huge cooked turkey that smells awfully good, but with superpowers, and ready to fight.

_Right, said Kelly. I'll whack the big stupid thing.

_What ? No ! It's too far away, if you're infected, you're done for !

_Don't worry about me, Duncan.

She jumped past the Vasto Lorde. She seemed quite confident.  
The Hollow Lord laughed.

_Quite the foolish girl, isn't she ?

_I assume you know about the "disease", said Duncan.

_Indeed. That's why I'm here.

_I wouldn't turn Hartigan into one of yours if I were you. She's violent enough like that, so if she becomes a monster...She would kill more Hollows than Reapers.

_Maybe, maybe. So, I'm against you two...

_Nope, said I, much to Holley's surprise. I'll manage all the little Hollows, so that you can fight without any disturbance.

_Are you out of your mind, Jakob ? Shouted the scientist.

_What ? You're the one with the Unleashing here. And Sheena's watching over you, you lucky bastard.

I flashstepped into the swarm before Duncan could answer. They growled in their excitation. I just drew my Soulcutter.

_So, any last thoughts ?

Hartigan, Holley and I Released our swords at the same time.

_Shred 'em to ribbons, Rabid Cat !

_Oh, you on your eternal throne, be the judge of our feats ! Primeval Lord !

_Squash them, Starlight Mirror !

* * *

_Duncan Holley_

Damn hot-headed viking.

He's right, I can fight the Vasto Lorde without major trouble, as the 2nd Division Lieutenant is watching over me. But the real plan is, no doubt, to take the monstrosity four to one, once all the little snots around are wiped out. Also, Johannsen was very fond of flashstepping, from afar, in the path of a Cero in order to reflect it with his weapon.  
Still, I wondered if Hartigan could really defeat this big Adjucha without a scratch.

The Hollow facing me looks at my Released Soulcutter.  
Primeval Lord looks like a round stone pillar. Nothing terribly sexy for a weapon, I know that.  
My opponent says nothing. We look at each other for a little while, and he suddenly moves right behind me with his Sonido. I parry his attack without trouble. Two triangular-shaped bricks fly out of the stone pillar I'm wielding, and attack the Hollow swiftly. He moves several meters away from me.

_Hum. A decomposable weapon. Annoying.

The bricks get back into my Soulcutter.

_Annoying indeed.

We both charge.

* * *

_One hundred meters from there_

_You know, it annoys me to the max when a Reaper goes all heroic. Yago is a young Vasto, you could beat him easily if you fought him together, so why split up ?

_I don't like it when there's other lads in me fights.

Kelly Hartigan stretched her limbs while the big Adjucha was talking to her. Metal claws were attached to her hands and feet. Knuckle-shaped Soulcutters were rare, because of their short size, ill-suited to destroy Hollow masks in one hit. But in her hands, even short claws could have the penetrating power of a cannonball. Not to mention the fact that she liked beating her enemies into a red pulp, regardless of purification issues.

_Oh, a duelist ? Well, I'm afraid you won't be able to beat me easily.

_Yeah, like every Hollow I guess.

_Come on, if you don't believe me.

The evil spirit opened his long and flexible arms, and left himself wide open for Kelly's attack. The Reaper charges without any second thoughts, and delivers a kick to the head of the monster. There is a deafening sound, but the Hollow didn't budge.

_Oh, a tough one.

_Yep, says the lost soul. Being an agile type, you're at a disadvantage, ranked Reaper or not.

_I guess yer right. But I still feel like Hartiganizing ye.

The invented verb was pretty self-explanatory. The Hollow smiled. All he had to do was to injure the Irish girl. By far an easier task than killing.  
Kelly howled, and resumed her assault.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen_

It was pretty sad to see.

Around me were the destroyed homes of hundreds of positive souls. For us Reapers, getting out of the Soul Fortress meant going into a world where we were lords. Feared, loved, but always respected. This place, the result of our ageless work, was heartwarming, fulfilling. But since the beginning of the siege, the Field of Souls was only bringing fear. Nothing too terrible for a Lieutenant, but still, it was sad. We felt alone, and even after the tide of Hollows disappears, this place would still be empty and cold.  
But.

I like complaining, but only in an angry way. And wasting Hollows was so goddamn fun.  
I was cutting through their masks one after another. Only a handful forced me to use special powers. Only one thing kept bothering me, as I was watching Holley's fight, waiting for an opportunity to reflect something huge.  
Menos Grandes usually use Ceros as their primary means of powered attack. But the one fighting Duncan didn't launch even the tiniest Bala. That could mean many things, but the most likely was bothersome.  
Figetti had told the Hollows how the Lieutenants fight.

* * *

_One hundred meters from there_

Kelly was not giving up, dodging effortlessly every attack, and the Hollow remained unscathed. The Reaper sighed and sat up on the gigantic shoulder of her opponent.

_Mind if we take a break ? Asked she.

_Bah, I guess I can give you that much. At least you're light.

_Yep. So, where do ye come from ? Yer voice sounds like some kind of Asian.

_Yeah, I'm Chinese. The call was issued in pretty much every part of the world. But I didn't think that much comrades would actually come.

The Hollow tried to attack the Irish by surprise, but she just flashstepped instantly on the other shoulder.

_Funny, I would have said Japanese.

_What ? Oh, no, the Japs are under the rule of some batshit insane dude. A Reaper, no less. Rumors say he performs experiments on them, and have them obey like little doggies...I don't think you will find any Jap among us.

_Experiments ? Tough shit. We do have some crazy lads here, but this sounds pretty serious.

_Anyway, we're looking completely ridiculous right now. You often chat with your opponents while sitting on them ?

_Sometimes yes, I like playing with me food. But yer right.

She jumped down to the ground, and taunted the Hollow.

_C'mere, Hollowfy me if ye can.

Unfortunately for the Reaper, her opponent was waiting for this opportunity. He wasn't here by chance.  
Preparing his special power, the Hollow made a step towards Kelly.

* * *

_Duncan Holley_

Something wasn't right.  
The stones of my soulcutter were hurting the Vasto Lorde, but for some reason, they were flying slower and slower.

_Oh, you noticed, said the Hollow Lord, looking at me.

_What have you done ?

_It wouldn't be fun if I told you.

_Too bad, then.

Primeval Lord exploded into a hundred of sharpened bricks. Slowed down or not, It wouldn't prevent me from crushing the evil spirit between them. I hated doing that, as nothing but pulp remains of the Hollows afterwards. Nothing left to study. But this time, I had to finish this quickly. He was up to something.  
All the stones converged towards him. But suddenly, they slowed down quickly, to the point of stopping in mid air.

_This is my special power, said the Vasto Lorde. Solidifying the air around me.

Damn. Just the opposite of my Soulcutter's type. It couldn't be a coincidence.  
He came here specifically to fight me.  
In one swift movement, he caught me off guard and severely injured my left arm. I shouted out of frustration and fear.

_Sheena !

_I got you covered, Duncan ! Watch over us, Gentle Morning Sun !

I felt relieved as the warm light of the 2nd Division Lieutenant's Soulcutter healed my arm. But it was not over.  
Far from it.  
I had to get serious.


	8. The Fields of Athenry II

Chapter Eight, with a little bit of overpowerness, and a sigh of dramatic turn of events.

* * *

Chapter eight – The Fields of Athenry

part two

The big Hollow was slowly walking towards her. Kelly made an evil smile, and said :

_Next.

Nothing seemed to happen, but the Adjucha coughed blood...

_What the...

...And fell loudly on the ground. He quickly got up and backed off.

The Irish Reaper laughed.

_Ye were wrong. Big, tough ones are a piece of cake for me.

_What happened ? Said angrily the Adjucha. Figetti never said you had a special trick...

_What ? He told ye how to beat us ? Well sorry, but he's too thick to be a good informant. I just activated Rabid Cat's effect on yer internal organs, that's all. Watch this. Next !

Several red lights appeared where the Adjucha had been. They were copies of Kelly's Soulcutter made out of energy. Nine of them. And they were moving the same way she was attacking, when she was striking the Hollow's steel skin.

_These babies are unblockable. The target's resistance just weakens their impact. But when they strike the organs...Ye saw what happens. Against a small target, it's very hard to pull off, but against a big guy like ye...

_I'm not finished yet, you little shit !

He stretched his long arms forward. Countless little darts burst from their extremities, flying right towards the Reaper.  
However, none of them hit their target, as she was already above the Adjucha's head, ready to strike.

_That's good news ! Said Hartigan.

There was a deafening "bang" when her foot came in contact with the Adjucha's mask. Her kick was so powerful, the evil spirit was instantly struck down.  
For the first time since a century, the Hollow wasn't seeing through the holes of his mask. Its upper part had been smashed to pieces.  
His resistance had been dramatically lowered by his internal injuries. That was bad.  
The Irish Reaper was grinning.

_Ye said yer Chinese ? Well, I'm the motherfucking Lu Bu.

The Hollow waited for his end, but his opponent just stood here.

_What are ye waiting for ? Come on, fight me !

Hoping to turn the tide of the battle, the Adjucha launched his darts once again.  
But by the time he began his attack, she was behind him, about to deliver another powerful kick.  
And deliver she did.  
The monster screamed as he was getting repeatedly beaten down by a laughing madwoman.

_What the fuck are you doing ?! Okay, you won ! Cut me already !

_Nope. I don't have my daily dose of fun yet. Hell, why d'ye think I cut off yer mask ? Because wasting carnival puppets is so bleedin' boring. Making someone suffer without actually seein' their pain is worth nothin'.

_You...you're completely mad !

Another evil laugh.

_Ye ain't seen nothin' yet, boyo.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen_

Holy shit. Kelly was in a good mood.  
Unlike pretty much everyone, she was much more fearsome when she was happy. I bet the Adjucha is wondering why the hell she's a Reaper. Something I would like to know as well.  
It was then that I realized that I was done killing the lesser Hollows in the area, and that Duncan was obviously in trouble.  
I flashstepped between him and the Vasto Lorde. Well, no wonder he was in trouble. It was incredibly hard to move. Not impossible, but still...

_Jake ! Shouted Holley. Back off, I'm going to Unleash !

_Don't be a retard ! If your Release is affected by this trickery, it will be the same with your Unleashing !

_Thank you for unveiling my trump card, asshole.

_You're welcome.

Not one to be hindered by social conventions, the Vasto Lorde attacked me. Fortunately, even in this thick air, I was able to block his attack, and we enter into a weapon deadlock, his "chin" nearly touching mine.  
At least, Hollow masks stop the bad breath.

_An interesting Soulcutter you have here, boy, says the monster. It makes all Ceros useless.

_Why don't you fire one, so I can show you ?

_No thanks.

With the strength of two Figettis, he pushes me back.

_So, said I to Holley. You think we can get him three on one ?

_Honestly ? No, his special power is way too useful against us.

_I guess you're right.

I bellowed "retreat" to Kelly, who was just done purifying the Hollow. I don't wait to see if she heard the call, and I begin running back to the great wall, followed by Duncan.  
Sheena keeps us into the healing beam of her Soulcutter. I sure hope it is enough to stop the mysterious Hollowfying agent.  
Suddenly, I hear a good old "fuck". Behind me, Duncan is being denied retreat by the monster.  
I run back to help him. I try to do the decapitation trick on the Vasto Lorde, but he is clearly on a higher level than Figetti. We could beat him, but doing so without getting hurt was next to impossible.  
Furthermore, seeing Duncan getting healed wasn't bothering him a bit. Which was bad news, considering that from the beginning, he was planning everything.

* * *

Suddenly, someone flashstepped between the monster and Holley.  
Margaret Carradine, here to save her Lieutenant's ass.

_Get away from here, boys, I'll handle this.

How ironic. Saved by a younger Reaper than us.  
Yeah, Carradine is the youngest captain. Dead in 1946, incorporated into the Reaper force two years later. Still, the head scientist is not one to underestimated.  
You could say she got extremely lucky concerning the power of her Soulcutter.  
The Vasto Lorde stopped to face the Captain, letting all three of us making it to the wall. I bet Hartigan was willing to fight the monster, but she seemed pretty content with the one she killed.

The Hollow lord said :

_It's a rare sight, to see Captains flying to their subordinate's rescue.

_If he becomes a Hollow, I would prefer he does it inside my lab than amid your troops. That's all.

_Heh. I guess you're right about that.

The head scientist unsheathed her Soulcutter.

_Well then. I never had the chance to kill a Vasto yet. Be proud to be the first one.

_Please, go ahead.

That was it. She was going to release the terror of the Soul Fortress.

_Restraint Art number 84, Stasis Bubble !

Oh.

The Vasto was as surprised as I was, and was caught into the spell.  
Using the fact that almost everyone begins a fight by Releasing, to surprise the opponent with a Restraint Art. A dirty tactic worthy of our 11th Divison Captain.  
And Stasis Bubble, no less. A spell which encases the opponent into an unbreakable sphere. The target is unable to move, but is also shielded from almost every attack.  
Carradine smirked.

_It's cold in here. Enter the heat, Little Boy !

There was a blinding flash, and the Captain's weapon became luminous green. Then, she just stood here, watching the Hollow without trying anything.  
The monster laughed.

_Don't tell me you neutralized me just so you could Release without any risk ? You're not only cowardly, you're also stupid. I've known better captains.

_Whatever. Anyway, you have 5 minutes or so left in the stasis, so try not to be a bother and shut the hell up.

_If you insist...

And shut the hell up he did. However, after 3 minutes, he was bound to notice that no Reaper was even getting close to Margaret. That, and the strong feeling of unease.  
But it was already too late. He was doomed by the power of the very freakin' fearsome Little Boy, the radioactive Soulcutter. When it's released, anyone who gets close, except Carradine herself, falls victim of a big-ass radioactive poisoning. Nothing lethal within five minutes, but by far powerful enough to reduce a Vasto Lorde's power to something laughable.  
This power, and her mastery of the Restraint Arts, makes Carradine a frightening opponent, without even considering her Unleashing, or a skin contact with Little Boy's blade.

When the Bubble faded, the Hollow Lord was already on the verge of collapsing. The Captain cut his mask without meeting any resistance.  
Maybe you understand why all the Reapers are freaked out by her, despite her young age.

She was singing some jazz song when she got back to the wall.

_So, anything wrong, Duncan ? Asked she to her Lieutenant.

_No captain.

_I inspected him, there's no foreign energy in his body, affirmed Sheena.

_Good, good.

_That was incredibly lame, Carradine.

Ah, Kelly with her customary subtelty...  
Thankfully, Carradine is only pissed off by ignorance. Otherwise, she's a calm woman.

_I know, answered she, but effective.

Rick Hamilton was here, and offered us drinks for our victory. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time to enjoy them.  
Because hardly a minute later, a messenger came running.

_Captain Carradine ! Lieutenants ! I have bad news !

_How bad ? Asked Margaret.

_Real bad ! The 11th Division is under an ennemy attack ! An entire squad of quick Hollows rushed over the wall and injured a great number of your men before being killed !

Holley's eyes became wide with terror. Of course, he understood what would be the immediate aftermath of this suicide attack.

_Everybody, hurry ! Shouted he. The whole Division is in great danger !

He immediately began to run towards the other side of the Fortress, where was the 11th. Instinctively, the others followed him, but only Hartigan and I knew what he had in mind.

_What's happenning ? Asked Sheena.

_Well, you weren't invited because we're a bunch of pussies or because we wanted to impress you. Well, maybe, but that's not the point. We believe that the Hollowification thing is transmitted through fighting. That means three things. 1, the 11th Division is threatened by a Hollowification outbreak. 2, The Vasto Lorde probably came to the Western Gate just to lure Eastern officers out of their quarters, leaving them defenseless. Of course, three of us, Holley, Carradine and I jumped right into the trap. And 3 : We just got completely owned by the Hollows.

_Oh.

Yes, "Oh". We just had to hope the damage wasn't too serious. But one thing was for certain. Because of Figetti, there was a minor leak of information. It had some pretty serious consequences.  
If we were right, and if a number of our scientists defect to the enemy, then we won't have to face just a minor leak of information.


	9. The Path of the Magical Doohickey

Looks like we're a bit late on schedule. Been busy with another non-fanfiction story, plus other less artistic things.

Anyway, here's a backstory chapter. In the unlikely case you would really want the next chapters quicky, feel free to harass me.

* * *

Chapter nine : The Path of the Magical Doohickey

_Jake Johannsen_

Completely owned, I tell you.  
The 11th Division's quarters were in a monstrous mess. Buildings were destroyed, Hollows were running wild, and I really wanted a beer.  
Carradine and Holley looked so butthurt we could almost see them grabbing their asses.

_Okay guys. Said the Captain. Kill them. Don't leave any of them standing except one. I can't Release here, so I'll leave it to you.

_Got that, said I. Kelly, you're going with me, we'll prevent the Hollowfication victims from escaping. Duncan, Rick, you waste them. Sheena, you go on a date with me tonight.

_No thanks.

_Shit.

_I'm okay with this plan, Jakie, said Rick before getting down to business.

You know, I would never have thought the great Hamilton would go with one of my plans. After all, he's not **just** a Lieutenant.  
Oh, well.  
As usual, Kelly had gone ahead. Former Reapers were already trying to get out of the Soul Fortress. Just burning to party with their new friends, I bet.  
It's true that the Hollowification process greatly increases one's power. But fortunately, most of these were very young Reapers. Only their knowledge was dangerous.  
None of us were happy to do this. You can keep telling yourself the Hollows aren't your friends anymore, and be perfectly right, but it just isn't the same thing than killing anonymous monsters.  
When I say "none of us", I'm naturally not including Hartigan.

_Ha ha ha ! Die, ye bleedin' nerds ! Serves ye right for stealing my kills !

_What, you're talking about the Hollows they take for studying ?

_Damn right Jakie ! Useful for the Reapers or not, I just can't forgive 'em !

_Oh, please. Will you cut the "I'm a bad fatherfuckeress" crap a minute ?

_Whaddya mean ?

_I mean you're trying too hard, Kelly. Everybody knows you're an evil bitch already.

_"Too" isn't in me vocabulary.

_Tcht. Whatever.

I caught a Hollowed girl, and threw her back into the execution arena. She landed in front of Rick, who skewered her mask with a flawless strike. This guy is not only good with bottles and glasses.  
The first time I met him, he was a Captain in England, and I was still a rookie. It was during my trip from Denmark to America. Our ship stayed in London for four days.

* * *

_Rick Hamilton, 1849, London_

I was taking a stroll in the park unseen by humans, after this tiresome debate with the Justice Division. A very troubling issue. A Reaper guilty of killing humans. Even in times of war, this is a extremely rare occurrence. The judges were about to sentence the Reaper to death. I came in, and offered exile in the New World instead.  
Criminal or not, the human colonization of this territory demands us to get as much talented men as we can muster.  
A Hell Butterfly flew across my path. The new model they made for instant translation. They were becoming more handy every day.

_Well met, Captain sir !

I saw a young, fair-haired Reaper walking toward me.

_Who might you be ?

_Jakob Johannsen, Sir. Volunteer for the New World. I heard you were coming with us ?

_Indeed. And call me Richard. I'm not known for being strict.

_If you so desire. How many are boarding the ship ?

_A dozen. If you're only talking about Reapers of course, since we're taking a normal Human vessel.

_Yes, sometimes it's good to put our technology aside, and do things the way livings do.

_Anyway, for how long have you been a Reaper, Jakob ?

_I graduated last year. I still can't Release my sword. I feel like I'm close though. But say, Captain Hamilton...or Richard if you want...I heard you had an alcohol-type Soulcutter ? It's a joke, right ?

I laughed heartily.

_Not at all, although it does seem like it.

_But...I don't see how it could be powerful ! How did you become a Captain ?

_What do you mean ?

_Well...Said Jakob, confused. You know among the Soulcutters, there are fire types, to burn the Hollows. There are plain metal-types, to cut the Hollows, there are ice-types, to freeze them...But alcohol ?

_I see. Well, let me give you a piece of advice. Given the versatility of the Soulcutters, you can't think only in terms of raw power. In fact, you can't consider the effect of a Soulcutter power for granted. Put two Reapers against each other in a fight. One has a weapon which throws fire. It's usually pretty effective to burn his enemies down, yes ? But if the other one just happens to have a water-type Soulcutter, then the first one is pretty much done for. Of course, this also applies to Hollows, who have various powers as well.

_Yeah, I guess you're right. But then, how is alcohol superior to anything ?

_Well, answered I, my power is to booze up people. It takes time, but in the end, there's nobody who can resist an ethylic coma. Furthermore, my power is unblockable, its only weakness is the time it takes to kick in. So in a sense, you could say that slow and defensive enemies are my natural prey. When you'll be able to Release your weapon, you'll find that there are Soulcutters that are helpless against yours. No matter how powerful their wielder is.

_And that's why we Reapers also have the Spirit Arts, right ?

_Exactly. My other advice is to never neglect these. A powerful Reaper has always several jokers up his sleeves. But the path of the Soulcutter remains the most important one.

* * *

_Jake Johannsen_

Enough with the flashback already.  
Hamilton was right, but I was a raging faggot at this time. Goddamn narrative processes, they never think of our privates lives.  
Fuck you, Orson Welles.

I look at Hamilton, who's making a plain serious face. Which is kinda cool, given the ridiculous expression Duncan haves. Like a constipated badger or something like that.  
What good is life for if you're not able to enjoy smashing your former subordinates ? I mean, sure, they're good guys, but let's face it, most of Reapers are fucking jerks corrupted by power. Among them, Lieutenants have to be the worst. Unlike Captains, they still have one step to make. Also, they're powerful enough to act like tough guys, but not old enough to have the wisdom fitting their rank.  
Well, excluding mister ancestor Richard Hamilton.  
Finally, our rampage ends. Not one newborn Hollow had made it out of the Fortress. Time to drink, at last.

_So, says the 1st Division's Lieutenant while pouring me a vodka. It's been a while since the last time we talked about your progress on the path of the Soulcutter.

_What ? Yelled I after one or two seconds of stunned disbelief. You remember that shit ?

_The day we first met was a very important one to me. Of course I remember.

_Whatever.

I took a sip of my glass.

_Also, "path of the Soulcutter" is way too fucking serious-sounding.

_Sorry about that, but old habits die hard. Anyway, it has become known since Figetti's purification that you are indeed able to Unleash. I assume you choose not to do it, am I wrong ?

_Not at all, Rickie. I know the main path to power for a Reaper is the Soulcutter, but I really like being powerful by my skill alone.

_Surely you don't ignore the fact that one's Soulcutter is part of him ?

_I'm not talking philosophically, but pragmatically. You taught me that my power will one day become my weakness against an opponent. So I focus elsewhere.

_That's wise, but...to the point of refusing the Unleashing ? That's stupid. Sorry but that's just the way it is.

I laughed a little.

_Hey, I never pretended to be cool and edgy you know ? I am me, and if my stupidity kills me once again, well, I'll deserve it !

_At least you're honest with yourself, said Hamilton, smiling.

I stood up. It was time to help Duncan coping with the loss of twenty of his subordinates.

_Anyway, thanks for your interest in a poor retard like myself, Captain Hamilton !

And I walked away of the newly made ruins.


	10. I fought the Law

And here we are, at the first two-digit chapter of Bleach Unlimited.  
For informative purposes, I think the story is gonna last 30 or 40 chapters, no more. I have no intention of turning it into a new Bleach.

Also, if you haven't figured that out already, here's a quick reference for Bleach technical terms I translated to fit a english-speaking Soul Society.

Positive souls - Plus  
Reaper - Shinigami  
Void - Hueco Mundo  
Presence - Reiatsu/Pressure  
Release - Shikai  
Unleash - Bankai  
Soulcutter - Zanpakuto  
Demon Arts - Hadou  
Restraint Arts - Bakudo

Back to the story now.

* * *

Chapter Ten – I fought the law

Unfortunately, some Hollowification victims did escape, just before our heroes came for the slaughter.  
Six scientists, precisely.  
And with them, a good chunk of knowledge was joyously given to the Hollows.  
The Soul Fortress was getting more nervous every day. At least, the inhabitants who can be considered "normal".  
Not only the pressure from the attacks increased from this day on, but conscious Reapers began to worry about the Positive ghosts who were left unattended in the living world.  
John King's orders were quite clear about this matter : Stay in the Fortress to defend it. But, you know, even if it's the most powerful being in the world who says it, if the order goes against everything you cherish as a person, you may have some trouble to acknowledge it.

And that's what happened to some young Reapers of the 3rd Division.

* * *

_We made it !

Yann Leroy, 6th seat, was more than happy to see the living world.  
Three of his fellow Reapers and friends appeared behind him, in a parking lot in Dallas.  
Going to this world was, usually, even easier than a peace of cake. You just had to ask for a portal and you're here. Of course, there were still the Mists to go through, and its legion of Hollows lying in wait, but this matter had been addressed to for quite some time, thanks to new technologies.  
However, with the blockade ordered by King, it was now nearly impossible to open one, much less without being detected.  
But Yann was accustomed to doing the impossible. It's something a French man just has to do at least once.

_Thank god, said his lady friend, Sophia.

_Now to save some souls ! Shouted Nick, child-bodied Reaper.

The fourth one closed the march, as well as the portal behind him. His name was Paul, a dark-haired token lady killer.

_Well, said Yann, we must bear in mind that Soul burials will only send the Positives into the Hollow swarm. We have to purify Hollows and prevent Positives from snapping.

_That's not enough, objected Sophia.

_That's better than doing nothing.

The four friends split up.  
Truth to be told, the whole city was pretty peaceful. At least in the spiritual side of things. Yann didn't sense any Hollows for quite some time.  
"It figures", thought he. King was authoritative, but not pointlessly cruel. If he issued the order not to exit the Soul Fortress, it was probably because there weren't much Hollows left outside of the siege.  
Which was unsettling. You could expect these beasts to profit from the fact that Positive souls were left to themselves to go on a rampage.  
Anyway, that was the situation. He feared he and his friends risked their lives for nothing, until he finally sensed something...

The large plaza was empty, even though the living liked coming here after nightfall, for various reasons.  
The reason for this was pretty obvious. Two or three big Hollows -basic ones, but big nonetheless- were encircling a bunch of Positive Souls.  
The typical answer to this kind of situation is to charge. But.  
He sensed the Presence of a Reaper nearby. It was not just nearby, in fact. It was just as the side of one of the Hollows. And even if it was dark, Yann could recognize this Reaper without hesitation  
It was his own Lieutenant, Kelly Hartigan.

Of course, King's declaration about a traitor came to his mind. And he couldn't really think of it as bad news.  
Everybody would believe him if he said this psycho bitch was a traitor, and he wouldn't have the tiniest piece of remorse about it.  
But before that, he had something to do. Something that involved unsheathing his sword.

_Shine, Morningstar !

Immediately, the Lost Souls as well as the gentle ghosts turned their heads toward him, and Kelly disappeared.  
Without any other form of negotiation, Yann proceeded to do his job. By simply cutting the air before him, he called forth deadly waves of light. A pretty simple Soulcutter effect, but effective. The Hollows, more surprised to meet a powerful Reaper here than anything, were slashed into pieces without much resistance.  
He then explained the situation to the Positive Souls, hoping that warning them would be enough until the curfew was canceled, and called his friends.

_You saw Lieutenant Hartigan ? You must be mistaken, said Paul to Yann. True, she's not trustworthy, but even the Hollows wouldn't dream about hiring her. She's a crazed killer, nothing more !

_Maybe you're right, but still, she's a better candidate than anyone I can think of. We have to go home, turn ourselves in, and then go to King or d'Arsenault to report what I saw.

_I agree for the surrendering part, said Sophia. It's delusional to believe we can go undetected. But you really think you have to go to the Commander directly ?

_Who knows, maybe a Captain is involved in the treachery. We can't be too sure.

_Yeah, you're probably right. Well, I'll be opening the door now...

* * *

The friends weren't that surprised when they saw their bosses, Captain Parker and Lieutenant Hartigan, waiting for them right at the exit.  
They quickly knelt, knowing the...unstable habits of their Captain.  
Fortunately, he was smiling.

For now.

_I assume you will accept your rightful punishment ?

_Yes Captain, promptly answered Leroy. We realize we shouldn't have go against the Commander's decree.

_Good. Follow me, accept your light sentence, and everything will be for the best.

The four Reapers began to follow their Leader. But Kelly stopped Yann with her hand.

_Not so fast kiddo. The Commander has sentenced ye to one week in the Underground.

_What ?!

Parker walked away without a word. Yann's friends looked at him, said they were sorry, and left him alone with the Irish sociopath.  
He went silent, looking at her with inquisitive eyes.

_What'yer looking at ? Come on, you've seen worse.

_Nice try, you bitch.

She hesitated for a second, not really aware of what he meant.

_What ?

_I know it was you back there, don't play dumb with me, said he angrily while drawing his sword.

_Seriously, I dunno if it's because of hyperventilation or what, but ye look completely banjaxed right now. Calm down and follow me before ye piss me o...

Yann flashstepped and gave her a powerful thrust right into her chest. A thrust powered by his hate towards her. A hate that, no doubt, influenced his judgment more than the sight he had back in Dallas.  
And the assault struck true.  
As the 3rd Division sixth Seat was face to face to his Lieutenant, his sword impaling her chest, he smiled.  
But that didn't seem to bother Kelly very much. In a calm voice, she just said :

_Uh oh. Looks like yer fukkin dead, eejit.

She gave him the mother of all knee kicks, sending him flying away into the other side of the street, certainly waking up some Reapers in the process. Then, quickly, she mended her body and suit, and unsheathed her own sword.

_Any last words, gobshite ?

Yann got up, more decided than ever to do the impossible.

_Oh yeah I do, you traitor.

He focused, yelled, and Released his Soulcutter without calling its name.  
The mandatory step before being able to use one's full power. He had obtained it one year earlier, after a tough expedition into the Void. He spent his days perfecting it in secret, but never had the need to use it in real combat.  
Nevertheless, he knew it would be effective against the renegate in this situation. 100% guaranteed.  
He rose his shining blade towards the sky, holding his grip with his two hands, looking like an executioner about to do his job.

_I fucking Unleash you ! Morningstar, He who Brings the Light !


	11. And the Law Won

Back to the old one-chapter-a-week rythm.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Eleven – And the Law Won

Kelly Hartigan grinned as she saw Yann Leroy's weapon turning into a multitude of little blades circling around him, like the electrons around a nucleus.

_Deadly ! Said the Irish. The only other sixth seat I know who's able to Unleash is in the bleedin' First !

_Keep your hypocritical compliments to yourself. You're right though, it's indeed deadly.

_I'm not hippocratical or anythin', head ! I still want you to die, but yer bein' pretty impressive here.

_Unleash, then !

_Oh no, I won't do that. Me Unleashing is for very special people, and yer not one of them.

_You really think you can withstand mine without it ? Asked Yann with an angry tone.

_Why, of course ! I'm way above you, like it reads on the fuckin' label.

The French Reaper smirked.

_Oh no. Not here.

The pieces of his Soulcutter accelerated their momentum, to the point of becoming nothing but a blur.  
At this point, several Reapers had come to watch the scene. But even with the obvious rebellion that was taking place, they couldn't interfere. Since the foundation of the Soul Fortress, one-on-one duels had been protected by the law, regardless of the reason. Officially, it was meant to motivate the Reapers to practice, since if they were attacked, they would be on their own.  
In actuality, it was probably just another of these completely arbitrary and immoral laws.

In the shadows of the night, several lights appeared around Leroy. Their numbers increased each second.

_My Unleashing, explained he, draws his power from the darkness, by converting it into light. The darker it is, the more powerful I am !

Eventually, the assistance had to cover their eyes, because the surroundings had become nothing but a big blinding blob.

_You're a traitor to the Reapers, Hartigan, and I shall end you here and now !

Suddenly, all the light gathered in one point : At the center of the blades spinning in a circle in front of Morningstar's master.

Kelly went into a guarding position. But it proved to be useless when the shining ball flew straight towards her, and hit her, exploding into some sort of shining crystal.

The Lieutenant was encased into it, frozen into a silent scream.

All the Reapers around the two duelists fell silent.

_Is she…dead ? Asked some rookie.

_No, answered Yann. Even though she's just good as. When I sheathe Morningstar, the crystal will implode and kill her. That's what happens to those who fight me at night…

He looked at the crowd. Among the nobodies stood the almighty King.  
The bearded man of regal stature looked at him calmly. He didn't look pissed off at all. He never did, mind you. But that was the kind of signal Leroy was waiting for before finishing the Irish bitch off.  
He spun the shining blade, while making the little blades do a pretty dance around him. When he put the sword into its sheath, they raced into it one by one. And when the weapon's light disappeared under the plain iron, blood flew into the air.  
The crystal had imploded, freeing Hartigan, and she fell on the ground.

* * *

Except said blood didn't belong to her.

_What the…uttered Yann before falling on the floor, mauled half to death.

_Eejit.

Kelly got up, and brushed her jacket with her hand.

_Listen when the teachers speak to you, instead of tryin' to save the world every bleedin' day. Ye can do whatever ye want with yer weapon, including turning the air into acid, but we're ghosts. In the end, it all comes down to whichever has the highest density. The highest Presence. Special capacities only matter when there's no chance of backfire.

_I know we can cut ourselves when we…attack someone way more strong than us, but…

_A Soulcutter's effect never ceases to be part of ye. This crystal was ye. And it wasn't jack shit against me pressure. Welcome to the Reaper's universe. Even Carradine had to train herself a lot to be a viable captain. Fuckin' deadly Soulcutter effect or not.

_So I lost against a traitor…shitty way to die.

Yann coughed blood, and Kelly sighed.

_I really don't know what got into ye, but I ain't no traitor, boyo.

_Whatever. Just finish me already.

The crowd was clearing. The Irish Lieutenant raised her shoulders, and walked towards John King.

_I hope yer not paying attention to the rants of this eejit.

_This matter shall be addressed to in due time, Lieutenant Hartigan. For now, there's something you might want to see.

_And what would that be, Command…

An inhuman shriek came from the sky. The Reapers looked up, and saw a bird-like Vasto Lorde coming at great speed.  
Kelly smiled, and prepared to Release, but she felt King's hand on her shoulder.

_Just settle down and watch, why don't you ? Said he with his regal voice.

The other, small-time, Reapers tried take down the Hollow monster with their Demon Arts, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the tremendous Presence.  
The Lord landed in front of Yann, who had lost consciousness, and watched the Soul Fortress's tyrant.

_Are you not going to stop me ? Asked the monster.

King smiled.

_Are you hoping that I'm going to stop you ?

_Maybe.

_I could. You know that. But I want you to start the engine.

_Are you ordering me ?

_Perhaps. But one thing is for sure, you're going to obey, little Hollow.

_You'll regret this.

_No I won't. Go now.

The Lost Soul frowned behind his mask, disliking King's behavior. But he had little choice. He took Yann Leroy on his back, and flew away.

* * *

Not far from there, Yann's friends had watched the scene.  
And, ignoring Edward Parker behind them, they went ballistic.

_What the fuck did you just do ?! Shouted Paul to the First Captain. Nobody deserves becoming a Hollow !

King laughed heartily.

_Was it that obvious ? Well, my apologies, but that's not a matter of deserving or not. Now shut up and go quietly to your cells.

_Go fuck yourself, Johnny, said Nick, without a trace of hesitation in his voice.

Parker unsheathed his weapon.

_Beg for forgiveness, boys. You can still do it.

Sophia, the wisest of the group, stayed behind. They all knew rebelling at this point meant death. But the two boys just didn't care anymore. Their best friend had been sent into the Hollow ranks by their own ruler. Most people would have shut up, but not them. Yann taught them to be true to their beliefs, and that's what they were doing.

_Stop that ! Pleaded Sophia. It's no use, you're going to die !

_Don't worry about us, replied Nick. Captain Parker's weapon has to strike someone thirteen times to make him disappear. I'm sure we can at least parry enough to escape.

_But where ?

_I don't know.

Parker looked at them.

_Draw your swords then. You'll find soon enough if you can indeed hold your own against me.

Ignoring their female friend, the two young Reapers readied themselves.

_Your time is up, declared Parker. Bring Order to this Age, Crimson Cross !

One thing strikes when one looks at the Released shape of this Weapon : It's crimson, but it's not a cross, just a plain old double-edged long sword. Which is surprising, considering the maniacal tendencies of its master.

_Come on, Captain ! Shout the two rebels.

He grins, bends over, and flashsteps.  
Now, what ensued was undoubtedly an amazing display of skills, but it was over really fast.  
Less than a second, in fact.  
He reappeared behind them. Or at least, where they have been. His weapon had now a new blade across it, making it, this time, a cross.  
Parker smiles widely to the Head Captain.

_All is well now.

While he turned back Crimson Cross into its dormant state, Sophia was biting her hand in order to prevent her from doing something stupid. This was the way the Soul Fortress worked. Her dead friends had been wrong to oppose it after 30 years of faithful service.  
Kelly scratched her head.

_Holy shit, Captain. Ye really struck twenty-six times in a single fuckin' flashstep ?

_Yes I did, Kelly my dear, replied Edward, back to his carefree state. I use my Release excessively rarely. So I got to have at least some talent with my sword, right ?

_C'mon, that's not "some" talent, even Chris couldn't do shit against that.

_May. But, er…he's really really tough. Maybe my sword wouldn't even cut his flesh. I'm a bit afraid of him in fact. Ha ha ha !

_Ha ha ha.

The Irish went back to John King.

_Now, I s'ppose there's goin' to be some kind of trial. About me.

_Yes, answered the Commander. No matter what the outcome may be, it means there's indeed a traitor among us. Very interesting.

He went to the imperial tower, and summoned the Captains and Lieutenants on his way there. Meanwhile, Sophia was led into the prison.  
It's only in her isolated cell that she began to cry.


End file.
